Push catch for doors



MIM 7; v1929-f41 ,'T.) F. sTuAr-z'r ET AL 1,712,236

PUSH CATCH FOR Doons Filed June 29, 1927 l E l E Y *im v Mm/'6, i .zzz/52;@

Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. STUART AND HENRY A. MOORE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PUSH CATCH FOR DOORS.

Application led .Tune 29,

Our invention relates to a latch for doors, panels, and the like, and has forits principal objects the provision of a relatively simple, practical, and easily installed latching device 'o that is released by the actuation of a push rod and which automatically moves into latching position under the influence of a spring; to provide a latch that is especially applicable for use on the doors of cupboards, closets,

1o medicine cases, bookcases, buffets, and the like; further, to provide a latch that is readily adjustable so that it may be easily and quickly installed on doors of diiierent thicknesses; and further, to provide a latch of the character referred to that may be used in connection with plain or ornamental knobs of wood, glass, metal, porcelain. or composition.

Further objects of our invention are to provide a latching device that may be applied to a door so as to engage or catch either beneath or on top of a shelf behind the door, or against the amb or frame against which the door closes; further, to provide a latch that requires the boring of only one small hole through the door to which the latch is applied.; and further, to provide a mounting for the latch that is constructed and arranged so that no unsightly plates or screws appear on the outer face of the door to which the latch is applied.

Further objects of our invention are to pro vide a latching device of the character referred to that may be installed without requiring any special assembly or work on the :5 part ofthe workman and, further, to provide an improved form of striking plate that is engaged by the bolt of the latch when the door to which the latch is applied is closed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichj Fig. 1 is a horizontal section taken through a portion of a door and an adjacent portion of the door casing and showing a latch of our improved construction applied to said door.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the latch 5o housing.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the latch housing with the cover removed.

t5 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of holt and the carrier therefor the latching 1927. Serial No. 202,387.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a block that is utilized for actuating a pair of toggle links within the latch housing. l j

Fig. 7 is a perpective view of the striking plate that is associated with our improved latch.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing our improved latch applied to a door and with the striking plate applied to a shelf behind the door.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing our improved latch applied torabbeted doors.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of our invention, 10 designates a substantial rectangular housing, preferably pressed `from sheet metal and having on its inner side a removable cover plate 11 that is held on the housing by means of lips 12 that are bent from end Walls of said housing inwardly over the end portions of said cover plate. Projecting from the sides of cover plate 11 are perforated ears 13 which receive screws 14 and the latter being seated in the door or panel 15 to which the latch is applied.

Formed integral with, or fixed to cover plate 11, is an outwardly projecting externally threaded tube 16, that projects through an aperture 17 that is formed through the door 15. Screw seated on the tube 16, is a tubular member 18, that passes through a knob 19 of wood, glass, porcelain or metal and the outer end of said. tubular member is provided with `a flange 2O thatbears on the outer end of said knob.

Extending through the tubular member 18 and tube 16,` is a push rod 21 having a head 22 on its outer end and the inner portion of said push rod extends into the housing 10 and said inner portion isthreaded as designated by 23. i j

Arranged for sliding movement within the `housing 10 is a latch bolt carrier that is preferably formed from suitable sheet metal and said carrier comprises a base plate Q4 that bears against the wall of housing 1() opposite the cover plate 11 and one end of this base plate is provided with a slot 25 that connects with an aperture 26 that is formed in the adjacent wall of the housing. This slotand aperture are provided for the accommodation of the end of the push rod 21 when the latter is pushed inward to its limitlof movement. i l

Projecting 'forwardly from one side of the base plate 24 is an arm 27, to the Vforward end of which is secured in any suitable manner, a short latchbolt 28 hav-ing a beveled or inclined outer face 29 and this latch bolt is arranged for sliding movement through .an opening that is formed in the corresponding end wall of housing l0.

Projecting at right angles from the rear end of plate 24 is a Vringer 30 and formed integral ywith the rear end of plate 24, imnie` diately adjacentto said finger 30, is a tor- Wardly projecting L-shaped bracket 3l, in which is formedan aperture 32.l

The inner end of a short rod 33 projects through the aperture and the opposite end of said rod projects .through a slot 34 that is formed in the rear end wall of housing l0 and the .end of's'aidrod voutside Athe housing is'provided with a head 35. Arranged upon rod 33 between the inner end of bracket 31 andthe rear end wall of lthe housing, is an expansive coil spring '36.

l Pivotally connected to one of the sidewalls of housing l0 by meansof a pin .or rivet 37 is one end of an arm 38, to the free end of which is pivotalily connected a relatively short substantial triangular arm L39, the outer portion of which knormally 'bears against lthe inner face of ringer 30. The arms 38 and 39 con stitute a pair of toggle links, that are utilized in reti-acting the 'latch bolt carrier. For actuating said toggle links, we utilize a short cross-bar or bleek 40, having in its under suri face a notch 41, that receives the intermediate portion of the linkvor arm 38. Block 40 is provided with a central-ly arranged threaded aperture that receives the threaded inner portion23 vot push rod 2l and as a result of this'arrangement, the position of the block 40 may be adjusted on the threaded portion of j the push rod. In order to lock the block 40 to the pushrod after its adjustment thereupon, a screw 42 is seated inf'one end of said blockV and the inner end ot which screw is Vadapted to clamp on the push rod.

' In order that screw 42 may 'be manipulated rom the exterior of the housing, a transverse slot 43 is formed in the side wall of housing 10 that is directly adjacent. to the end of the block that carries said screw.

Y The ends ofblock 40 are arranged for sliding movement in transverse channels 44 that vare formed in the side walls of housing l() by pressing portions of said side walls outwardly (see Fig.v 4).

The lstriking plate utilized with our improved latch bolt is illustrated in Fig, 7 and said plate comprises 'a' substantial rectangularl section 45 ofsheet metal, that -is recessed and in the production of such plate, we prefer to V-turn the edges of said plate at right angles to main body portion thereof and thus the main bod portion of said plate occupies a plane a slig t distance below the upper'end of the upturned edges, so that sulicient snare is provided for the heads of the screws that are utilized in attaching the striking plate to the door casing or to a partition.

By thus recessing the body of the striking plate, the heads ot' the screws utilized in attaching same do not project beyond the outer surface of the plate or that suri'ace represented by the outer edges ot the upturned portions of marginal flanges.

One of the bent edges of thtI striking plate is substantially wider than the others and this wider iiange or upturned portion projects from the plate so as to be engaged by the projecting end of the latch bolt 28.

In order that the striking plate may be readily adjusted when secured to the door casing or to a sheltl or adjusted so as to compensate for shrinkage of the door easing, the

openings 46 in the body of the plate that receive the screws are in the form of short slots, two of which are transversely arranged, and the central one occupying a longitrulimxl position vat or near the center of said plate (see Fig. 7). In Fig. 9, the striking plate 45 is positioned on the under side ot a shelf with the wide flange in front so as to be engaged by the latch bolt 28 when the door is closed.

In Fig. 10 the latch housing 10 is shown positioned on the inside of a rabbeted door adjacent to the edge thereof and the striking plate 45 is positioned on the adj acent. edge of the other door.

When the door or panel to which onr improved latch is applied, is closed, the beveled face 29 and latch bolt 28 strikes against the outwardly projecting flange of the striking plate 45 and said bolt and its carrier comprising plate 24 and parts associated therewith, will move rearwardly within the housing 10, thereby compressing spring 3G, and as soon as the end of the latching bolt passes the outer portion of the striking plate, the power stored in said spring 36 will aet to instantly move the bolt and bolt carrier forwardly through the housing. so that said bolt is positioned behind the striking plate as illustrated in Fig. 1, under which conditions, the door will be etfeetually latehed in closed position.

To release the latch, knob 19 is engaged by the fingers and the thumb is pressed against head 22 of push rod 21, thereby forwarding said rod inwardly through the tubes 16 and 18. This movement carries block 40 to bear on the intermediate portion of link 38, thereby swinging the same on its axis 37, and the springs 38 and 39 will tend to assume a straight line position with the result that length 39 bearing on finger 3() will move the bolt carrier rearwardly through the housing against the resistance offered by spring 36, and when the end of the latching bolt has been retracted so that it will clear the striking plate, the door may be readily opened by an outward pull-up knob 19. As soon as pressure upon the push rod 22 relieved, the actuated parts will return to their normal positions under the influence oi spring 36.

A drop latch of our improved construction is comparatively simple, may be easily and quickly applied to a door or like swing panel, is capable of being easily and quickly adjusted so as to be positioned on doors of varying thicknesses, and owing to the size oli toggle links for actuating tl e latching bolt cal'- rier, the bolt may be retracted so as to clear the striking plate with a comparatively short inward movement of the push rod.

All parts ot the latch with the exception oi" the push rod are contained within the housing, which is an advantage in assembling, packing and installing the latch. The installati on ol said latch requires the boring oit but a single hole in the door or swinging panel.

lt will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, torni and construction ot the various parts ot our improved latch may be made and substituted tor those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit oli our invention, the scope oit which is set forth in the appended claims.

`We claim as our invention:

l. In a push catch for doors, a housing adapted to be positioned on a door, a springpressed latch bolt arranged for sliding moveinent within said housing, a pair oi' toggle links arranged within said housing, one of which links is pivoted to said housing, t-he other link bearing on a part of the sliding latch bolt, a push rod associated with said housing for actuating said toggle links, a block adjustably mounted on said push rod and arranged within the housing, and trans versely disposed guideways iorined in the top and bottoni of said housing Alor said adjustably mounted block.

2. ln a push catch for doors, a housing, a spring held member arranged for sliding movement therein, a latch bolt carried by said member and projecting` through an opening in the end ot the housing, a pair ot toggle links within the housing, one of which links is pivotally connected to said housing, the other link bearing on a part of the sliding lat-ch bolt carrier, a push rod associated with said housing 'for actuating said toggle links, a block adjustably carried by said push rod and arranged within said housing, guideways for the ends ot said block, and said block being provided with a notch which receives the toggle link with which said block engages.

3. ln a push catch lor doors, a housing, a longitudinally adjustable, tubular member carried by said housing and adapted to eX- tcnd through the door to which housing is connected, a push rod extending through said tubular member, a spring held member arranged ifor sliding movement within the housing, a latching bolt carried by said sliding member, a pair ot toggle links arranged for operation within the housing, one of which links bears on a part oit said sliding member, and a meinher adjustahly mounted on the inner portion of the push rod Afor engaging one ot said toggle links.

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures.

THOMAS F. STUART. HENRY A. MOGRE. 

